UFC vet Dustin Hazelett puts fighting career on hold, heads back to school

http://mmajunkie.comFormer UFC welterweight and lightweight Dustin Hazelett has put his fighting career on hold and gone back to school.

The 24-year-old also is focusing on teaching and jiu-jitsu competitions during the break from MMA.

The Ohio-based fighter discussed the plans with MMAjunkie.com’s Dann Stupp in today’s MMA Insider for the “Dayton Daily News.”

Hazelett (12-7 MMA, 5-5 UFC), a Brazilian jiu-jitsu black belt under Jorge Gurgel, made his pro MMA debut as an 18-year-old and signed with the UFC just two years later. He won five of his first seven UFC fights while winning two “Submission of the Night” bonuses and a “Fight of the Night” award.

However, following his consecutive losses to Paul Daley, Rick Story and Mark Bocek, UFC officials cut him from the roster in December.

But even before the latest loss, he had discussed a possible hiatus with manager Monte Cox.

“I had actually talked to Monte about taking a break,” Hazelett told the “Dayton Daily News.” “He said he thought it was a good idea. I had been fighting so much. … I was getting burned out. I wasn’t in a good place mentally.”

So, Hazelett has been attending EMT courses at Scarlet Oaks. He’ll finish in June, and then he hopes to find a job with 24-on/48-off hours. Indianapolis firefighter Chris Lytle, for example, has fought 11 years in the UFC because such a schedule leaves plenty of time for training.

Hazelett initially dropped out of college as a teenager because his burgeoning fighting career was eating up so much time.

“I remember talking to my parents when I decided to drop out of college and started fighting professionally,” he said. “I told them, ‘This may not be an opportunity I get later in life. If I wait to finish college, this opportunity may be not be there.’ I don’t regret that decision.”

Hazelett isn’t sure when he’ll return to MMA. In the meantime, he plans to compete in the Ohio Grappling Challenge.

He’s also teaching a class at Jorge Gurgel’s MMA Academy for fighters planning pro careers. Fighters must audition for the class to assure all entrants are on a similar level and versed in grappling and striking. Hopefuls can call (513) 889-5851 for registration information.

In the future, though, could be his own return to MMA.

“I wanted to take a break and get hungry again,” said Hazelett, who’s now married with a kid on the way. “When you’re fighting all the time, you get a little too relaxed about it. I took the ‘another day in the office’ mentality a little too far. I want to wait for the hunger to come back.